hi guys can anyone help i need to replce the rear break shoes in my fabia mk2 tdi  and wanted to know if its possible to replace them without removing the the wheel hub if so whats the best way to do it

Welcome.

You should just need to remove the Brake Drum and then clean up and service and maintain the are inside and check hand brake cables and adjusters and fit new shoes.

(See how you get on getting off the Wheels & then the Drums first.)

Haynes Manual or someone that knows what is required to help might be an idea.

Depending on the age of your vehicle, be prepared to see weeping brake cylinders which will need replacing.

Great guide by tech1e here

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/186946-cleaning-fabia-rear-drum-brakes/?hl=%2Bdrum#entry4615050

Yes it's possible but it makes the job harder.

Loosen the handbrake adjuster in the cabin loads to start with; this makes disconnecting the cables from the handbrake levers inside the drums much easier.

Photograph the spring arrangements first, then remove as many springs as necessary to get the old shoes out. Can't remember exactly, but it's a faff and a struggle at times getting everything back together.

Any signs of weeping on rear pistons, then replace. You can get replacement spring kits from Bigg Red. I found brake fluid loss on my 2010 plate Fabia which surprised me. Drums... no use to man nor beast.

Edited 22 January, 20179 yr by spartacus68

I did my caddy van before xmas (very similar setup) and I didn't take the hubs off, can't really see any benefit to doing that personally. . 

 

I built the spacer bar and springs up into the shoes in the vice, then went to the car, fitted the shoes onto the cylinders and girling pins, then pulled the bottom spring on with a brake spring hook and added the tensioner spring. 

 

If you're doing cylinders as well, which is never a bad idea. I know it sounds arse-backwards, but it could be easier to fit them after the shoes

Any signs of weeping on rear pistons, then replace. You can get replacement spring kits from Bigg Red. I found brake fluid loss on my 2010 plate Fabia which surprised me. Drums... no use to man nor beast.

For a non sporting car they're the best option, easy and cheap to fix, handbrake holds great and the set-up isn't susceptible to the elements like disc set-up.  I like personally but we all have different views!!! :thumbup: 

hi there guys thanks for the input not yet replaced the shoes ect just waiting for a good day weather wise but will let you know how it goes thanks

Just out of interest, why are you contemplating changing the shoes? I had mine done on a Mk1 estate at 130,000 miles and the only reason was an MOT failure for insufficient braking which was actually caused by brake fluid on them from the cylinders. 

Edited 9 February, 20179 yr by peter3197

Hi all,

 

I'm just in the middle of this job and have discovered I don't have the required socket/spanner/hub nut removal tool to take the hub off, so I'm in two minds now whether to head for the local (15 miles) Halfords or carry on and  put up with the aggro involved in doing it without removing the hub. I'm also slightly puzzled as I found a Youtube video of a mkI having this job done and the caption said the hub nut was 32mm - but other threads on here say 36mm. Confused.com!

Anyway, I was really prompted to post by peter3197's comment above regarding whether or not there would be a need to change the shoes. My wife's 2010 mkII .4TDi has done just on the 100k and all the shoes are knackered. Very near the metal and starting to crumble at the edges. The cylinders are fine - no sign of weeping (apart from me, occasionally!). In an ideal world I probably would replace them too but as they're okay I'm leaving well alone this time.

I think it's the front hub nuts that are 36mm?

Just to add, these rear hub nuts are 30mm - and like the front ones need a bi-hex socket as they are 12 "pointed".

Yep. Discovered this by trial and error. Bought a 32mm socket but found it slightly too big - probably would have done the job though, carefully!

Anyway, managed to get a 30mm bi-hex, which was perfect. Undid both nuts no problem using my torque wrench. Happy days. She now has brakes which work! ;-)